


Circle of Friends

by Avirra



Category: Emergency!, The A-Team (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-13
Updated: 2014-03-10
Packaged: 2018-01-15 06:45:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 18,988
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1295338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avirra/pseuds/Avirra
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Johnny Gage is Roy DeSoto's best friend. Now. But Roy had a life - and another best friend - before he met Johnny. But now his past/present are on a collision course and more than just friendship is at stake.  Emergency/A-Team crossover</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was early evening, but the sun was still out as the two paramedics began lugging their gear back to the squad from the restaurant located at the strip mall.

"Well, Junior. I've got to say that was a first."

Johnny couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'll say. I guess if a guy's going to spring a surprise marriage proposal on his lady, he needs to check first to make sure she's not a fainter."

"Well, at last she said 'yes' after we revived her. Of course, then I thought we were going to have the same problem with him fainting dead away."

Johnny was still snickering as he lifted the drug box back into the squad when a loud, gruff voice called out.

"DeSoto! Turn around, Doc!"

Roy seemed frozen, but Johnny turned around to look and blinked. The man yelling at his partner was an extremely muscular black man with enough gold to fill a display case. Johnny wasn't sure if he should grab the radio and call for backup or not. Why was this big guy calling Roy 'Doc'?

Before Johnny could decide what to do, Roy finally turned around himself and started walking to meet the other man. They both stopped when they were about a foot apart as Johnny kept a wary eye on the situation. Then suddenly, the muscular man grabbed Roy - but in a hug that Roy returned and they both began talking and laughing. Johnny was trying to catch his breath in relief.

After a minute, Roy managed to free himself enough to wave Johnny over.

"B.A.? This is my partner, John Gage. Johnny - this is B.A. Baracus. Wow . . . how long has it been now?"

"Last time I saw you was early '69, Doc. Just before you shipped out stateside. Ain't as scrawny as you used t' be. You go back to that woman and baby boy of yours?"

"Sure did, B.A. Got a little girl now too."

"Let me guess. Born in 1970?"

Roy blushed about as red as Johnny had ever seen, then Johnny did the math and couldn't keep from chuckling himself. Yep - at the age he knew his Kimmy was? 1970 would be right. So - Roy must have met this guy back in Vietnam. Roy never really talked about those days except very briefly. Any time the subject did come up, his partner tended to change to another topic pretty quickly.

The man was a little shorter than Johnny and Roy, but looked like his muscles had muscles so Johnny felt a little uneasy as the man came over and seemed to be inspecting him.

"Hmm - this new kid is taller than me, but don't know how he's making it as your bodyguard with them itty-bitty muscles, Doc."

"Bodyguard? Doc?"

Johnny finally voiced a couple of the questions in his head as he accepted the offered hand. At least he figured there was flesh somewhere under all that gold. He was having serious problems picturing his usually quiet partner as being friends with someone as flashy as B.A.

Roy was still flushed from the earlier comment, but he tried to answer Johnny.

"B.A. kind of appointed himself as my guardian over there for the little while we were stationed together. Doc is just the nickname most guys used for a medic. Johnny's not a kid, B.A. - he's older than you."

Both Johnny and B.A. gave Roy an incredulous look at that comment. The looks didn't phase Roy one bit.

"B.A.'s around six years younger than me, Junior."

Johnny had a hard time believing that meant he was five years old that the muscular man, but couldn't see any reason Roy would joke about something like that. Johnny also knew Roy well enough that he could tell Roy was arguing with himself internally about something. Apparently, B.A. knew Roy well enough to know that look too. Turning slightly, B.A. laid a hand on Roy's shoulder.

"He made it out, Doc."

Roy slumped slightly with relief.

"I've always wondered. We exchanged letters for awhile, but then they stopped."

"Well, our unit was hopping around a lot for awhile. I know some of my Momma's letters got lost - good chance some of yours did too. But you know I ain't gonna lie to you about your best friend."

That last part got Johnny's curiosity as he watched B.A. study their squad and look over their equipment.

"Still at the medic stuff, Doc?"

"We're not over there any more, B.A. - you can call me Roy."

The man just chuckled at that.

"Y'know? Don't think I even knew your first name before this. Can't say that I even remembered you lived out this way."

"Well, I thought you were a Mid-West man yourself."

B.A. started to say something, but then a voice came over the handset Johnny was carrying.

"Squad 51, what is your availability?"

"Squad 51 available."

"10-4, 51 – stand by for call."

Roy reached out and took B.A.'s hand.

"Time to go back to work – man, good to see you again."

"You too, Doc. Fool will be glad to hear you're doin' alright."

As Johnny put away the last of the equipment, he was surprised when Roy handed him the keys.

"Mind taking over the driving for a little while, Johnny?"

"No, I don't mind, Roy. Hey, you alright?"

"I will be."

As they left, B.A. climbed back into his van, unaware that he was being observed. One of the men in an unmarked utility van lowered his field glasses as the man behind the wheel spoke.

"Do you want me to try again to tail Baracus?"

"No. I doubt you'd be any more successful than the other three times you tried to follow him. Besides, I think we've found another way to make the A-Team come to us. I don't know who that fireman is, but Baracus sure does. And I bet he'll be a whole lot easier to track down than the team."


	2. Chapter 2

As he drove back to the house where the team was currently residing, B.A. kept a close watch for any vehicle going the same way that he was for too long of a time. Probably all of the cars that he deliberately maneuvered to avoid were simply coincidence, but he wasn't going to take that chance after the mission two months back that had gone so wrong.

The only thing that had kept all four of them alive was sheer fool luck - embodied in the unpredictable sheer fool form of H.M. Murdock. B.A. didn't know and frankly didn't want to know how the pilot had pulled off that helicopter stunt that kept the opposition from ramming his beloved van - he was just grateful that he wasn't onboard at the time. Just looking at it through his rear view mirror had made him queasy enough.

Ever since then though, B.A. had had the feeling that they were being followed and, if there was one hard lesson he learned in Vietnam, it was never to ignore a gut feeling like that. Hannibal wasn't voicing complaints about B.A.'s round about routes and, more telling, had been delaying returning Murdock to the VA hospital. To B.A., that meant he wasn't the only member of the team with a bad feeling.

Finally pulling up into the drive, he knew that Murdock must have been watching for him through the window by the way he was bounding out of the door before the van had even completely stopped. Then Murdock hit the brakes and stared for a moment before running back into the house.

Puzzled (as usual) at the pilot's antics, B.A. just shook his head and started unloading. It wasn't long before he realized he was being watched - not only by Murdock, but by Hannibal and Face as well.

"You guys could come over and lend a hand 'stead o' just watchin'."

Face started over followed by Hannibal and Murdock. Hannibal had an odd smile on his face as he spoke.

"Sure thing - you just had us worried."

"Me? Why would I have you worried? I wasn't gone any longer than usual."

"Oh, not that. Murdock said you drove up with a smile on your face."

"Man ain't allowed to smile?"

Murdock piped up at that.

"Man's allowed to, but you generally don't."

"Well, so happens I got a reason. You won't believe who I saw while I was out."

"Couldn't have been Billy. He's been here with me all afternoon. Haven't you, boy?"

As Murdock patted the air beside him, B.A. growled.

"Ain't no damn dog, Fool. Got half a mind not to tell you, but I told Doc I would."

Murdock froze at that.

"Doc? He's here? Well, not **here** here, but in LA here?"

"Sure is. He's onna them paramedic fellows we heard about on the news."

"Wow . . . I bet he's good at that. He got lots of practice on you, Big Guy."

"Some on you as well, Fool."

Face had a puzzled expression as he tried to work out who they were talking about.

"Wait – are you talking about that blue-eyed medic that got shipped back stateside?"

"That's him. The one that the Fool here was all depressed about losin' touch with. Reminds me – he said he kept writing you for awhile, but the answers stopped coming. Bet same thing happened to those letters that happened to those from my Momma."

"I just figured he got busy with settling back in and forgot all about me."

"No way has he forgot you, Murdock. He was afraid you'd bought it over there. I could see him tryin' to work up the nerve to ask me, so I told him. You shoulda seen the relief on that man's face when I told him you made it out. Hey – you know his name was Roy?"

"Sure – just never used it. Not like any of us went by our first names over there any way. And Doc was shorter to say than DeSoto."

It was the name DeSoto that finally made the man's identity click with Hannibal. He tried to avoid dealings with medics himself. Not really all that surprising to run into a fellow veteran that they knew. Heaven knew there had been enough young men had made their way to Vietnam and, thankfully, some made it back home again.

B.A. watched as Murdock flopped down and started scratching Billy behind the ears – then groaned to himself. Darn Fool and his darn invisible dog was going to make him crazy too.

"Hey – how did you find out he's a paramedic?"

Shrugging, B.A. lifted out the last of the supplies.

"Him and his partner were in uniform – spotted him as they were reloading their stuff into their truck. I don't think he'd ever mentioned me to his partner. Halfway thought the kid was going to bolt."

Face grinned at that as he picked up a share of the bags to carry inside.

"Even if he had tried to describe you, B.A., I doubt it would have prepared him for meeting you in person. You have a - - presence that's hard to describe."

Murdock laughed at that, nodding in agreement before continuing to question B.A.

"So, Roy-boy has a partner? What's he look like?"

"Name's John. Looks like a kid, but Doc says he's only a year younger than he is. Lanky guy. Like you. More hair though."

"Oh that's low, Big Guy. No picking on a man with a retreating hairline."

Hannibal started chuckling.

"Come on, men. Let's get everything inside. We can carry on talking in there."

Murdock scrambled back onto his feet and grabbed what bags remained, moving beside Face, who nudged the pilot with his elbow.

"So – you and this DeSoto guy were close?"

"Indubitably, buddy. Doc's my best friend."

The way Murdock used the present tense on that hurt Face's feelings slightly.

"I thought **I** was your best friend."

"You haven't been paying attention then. You're my **bestest** best friend. You don't get rid of a friend just because you aren't right next to each other all the time any more, right?"

That brought a smile back to the conman's face. He should have known that anyone Murdock claimed as a friend was one for life so far as the pilot was concerned.

"Right. Silly of me to forget something like that."


	3. Chapter 3

They had finally reached the end of another rotation and the men of A-Shift were in the locker room, getting changed back out of their uniforms.

"I'm glad some of you guys are going to be able to come over today. I tell you - the house is way too quiet when Jo and the kids are gone and it's just me there. I wish you could make it, Marco."

"Maybe next time, Roy. I'm picking up a shift for Penner to pay him back for when he covered for me last month when Mama had to have surgery."

"I will stare at a cheerleader in your stead, pal."

Marco laughed at that and gave Chet a friendly shove.

"Like you need an excuse to stare at the cheerleaders, amigo."

"You just don't appreciate the sacrifices I'm willing to make for my shift-mates, Marco."

Johnny just rolled his eyes and shifted topics.

"Have we got everything covered? I'm bringing the snacks, Mike's bringing drinks, Chester is paying for pizza and Roy's providing the venue."

"And we all pitch in on the cleanup afterward to keep Joanne from tracking us down and killing us."

Roy laughed at that as he closed his locker.

"Right you are, Chet. I'll see you guys some time between noon and 1:00. Kick-off is at 1:30."

As Roy headed for his home, he didn't pay much attention to the utility van headed the same way he was. One of his neighbors was in the middle of a large renovation project - it would have seemed stranger if there weren't utility vans around.

Parking as far up in his drive as he could to leave room for when the others came, Roy headed inside to grab a short nap before starting to get things ready for watching the game.

After taking careful note of the address, the men inside the van drove until they found a payphone that they could make use of. The orders came back shortly before noon. Keep an eye on the house and wait for an opportunity to take the man off-guard. The primary requirements were that they take the man alive and with a minimal amount of disturbance.

When the van returned to the neighborhood to take position, a white Land Rover had joined the other car in the driveway. As they watched, two other cars came. Just one man in each vehicle. The curly haired man that got out first went over to the other new arrival and helped him carry drinks inside. There was obviously some kind of get together happening and, considering the day and time, the focus of the gathering wasn't hard to guess.

It was the approach of a pizza delivery vehicle that gave the men their idea. They signaled to the young man as he parked as if they needed to ask him directions. Within the span of a few minutes, the young man was dead and the one of the men closest to him in size was putting on the uniform top and cap.

Blissfully unaware of the situation outside, Johnny was doing his own pre-game show, regaling Mike and Chet on their encounter with B.A. Baracus.

"No kidding, guys - this man was huge. Not really tall, but I've seen walls that weren't built as hard. Looks like he should be a football player. Or maybe a wrestler. And gold? Geeze, I've never dated a gal that wore even a third of that amount of jewelry."

Mike gave Johnny a disbelieving look.

"How about Brenda?"

Johnny considered that, then shook his head.

"Brenda would have been closest, but no. He wore lots more than even Brenda."

"Wow. And I thought Brenda was going for the Guinness World Book record."

"Very funny, Chester."

Roy reached over to swipe some of the popcorn out of Johnny's bowl.

"Brenda did rattle when she walked, Junior."

Chet piped up again.

"That was her head, not her jewelry, Roy."

"Okay, okay - so Brenda wasn't the brightest gal I ever dated."

"She was the one that thought firefighters are rich, right?"

"That's the one, Mike. Hey, Roy? Where did you meet the walking jewelry display?"

"Overseas, Chet."

Chet understood immediately and just chuckled.

"We did have our share of colorful types over there."

That reminded Johnny of another question.

"So - who's this mystery best friend, Roy?"

"Murdock? He's not a mystery, Johnny. Just never really saw a -"

The rest of what Roy was about to say was drowned out by Chet getting excited.

"Whoa! Hold on! Murdock? As in Howling Mad Murdock?"

Roy nodded his acknowledgement as he scooped another handful of popcorn. Chet groaned theatrically.

"I cannot believe you. You actually met him and you never said anything?"

Johnny looked from Roy to Chet.

"Howling Mad?"

"Nobody actually called him that – that's just how folks referred to him. So far as I know, everyone just called him Murdock."

Chet took up where Roy left off.

"Guy was a legend over there. Almost a myth. He managed to land choppers that by rights should never have made it back to base and even the ones that did crash, he managed to live through it."

Johnny was paying close attention to Chet for once.

"So, he was a helicopter pilot?"

Instead of Chet, Roy answered.

"Among other things, Junior. He told me he used to be part of the Thunderbird exhibition team back before he went to 'Nam."

"So spill, Roy. How did you meet up with Murdock?"

"Long story. But to keep it short, I was at a mobile medical unit that came under attack. We had to bug-out and I ended up in Murdock's machine. That luck of the draw is the only reason I'm here talking with you fellows."

Chet went quiet. He knew what that meant without asking. Mike and Johnny hadn't been over there though. Johnny frowned a bit.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, the attack came in hotter and heavier than the brass expected. There were five choppers that went in. Only one made it back to the fallback point. To this day, I have no idea how he did it. One of the panels on that bird looked like lace, he and team-mate both took hits - and he managed to get us back despite all of that. I can still remember hearing him begging and coaxing her all the way back."

Johnny went quiet himself as he thought about Roy's words. Suddenly it wasn't as much of a mystery to him anymore how Roy could generally keep a cool head in many of the situations they came across. Then Roy moved to turn up the volume on the television.

"Game time. Hey, Chet? You did already order the pizzas, right?"

"Sure did, Roy. Should be here any minute from the time estimate they gave me on the phone."


	4. Chapter 4

Face could hear the television playing in the background in the house. Hannibal and B.A. looked up from the gear they were cleaning when he came back in. Considering the expression Face was wearing, Hannibal was glad that Murdock was out in the back playing fetch with Billy.

"How bad are we talking, Face?"

"Very bad, Hannibal. Our client wasn't forthcoming on several details that it would have been nice to know. That drug deal we interrupted two months back? Well, let's imagine the group we tangled with as a scorpion. We only knew about and dealt with one of its pinchers."

"So it's the rest of the beast that's been after us?"

"That's what the word is. And yes, I kept an eye out on my way back to make sure I wasn't followed."

"Man. This is like we thought we were going against a squad and it turned out to be an army."

"Sounds like a good analogy, B.A. Thing is now? What do we do about it?"

"Good question, Face. Of course, the best solution would be for the rest of them to end up in jail with their other pals. Finding a way to make that happen? Well, I need to do some heavy thinking."

"Which reminds me."

Face pulled out a packet with a new batch of cigars.

"Good man, Face. Like you were reading my mind."

Taking one, Hannibal headed outside to watch Murdock while he tried to think of a way out of their current dilemma. Face settled down in one of the chairs to watch the game that B.A. was turning the volume up on.

"Who's winning?"

"Nobody yet, Face. Teams don't seem to know that they're supposed to score points if they want to win."

Hannibal stood outside the back door, watching Murdock rough-housing with Billy. B.A. did have a point. Murdock interacted with Billy so thoroughly that if you weren't fully paying attention, you would swear that he actually was playing with a dog.

After a couple of minutes, Hannibal moved off to the side where he wouldn't be in the path of Murdock's play, sat down and lit the cigar.

"That bad, Hannibal?"

The unexpected voice about made Hannibal jump out of his skin. There was a mixed expression of concern and amusement in Murdock's eyes as he crouched down next to him.

"I need to put a bell on you, Captain. You're too damn quiet sometimes for my nerves to take."

"Tell that to B.A. Quiet is one thing he never accuses me of being."

"Hey, refresh my memory on that DeSoto character."

Murdock gave Hannibal a look that showed he was very aware that the Colonel was changing the subject, but was going to go along with it.

"You probably remember him best for what didn't happen than for what happened. He's the medic that B.A. would let treat him without much fuss."

"That's right. Never did know why that was the case."

"Me either. I suspect it had something to do with how Roy approached him. He tended to ask permission before he touched and talk to you instead of treating you like you were one more person on the assembly line. You know that sorta thing goes a long way with B.A."

"Goes a long way with most people, Murdock. How long did you know him?"

"A little over six months. That equals what? Six years in civilian time?"

Grinning at that, Murdock gave a toss of the invisible ball for Billy to chase. Hannibal couldn't argue with Murdock's assessment of time equivalents. War seemed to compress time in many ways. Folks grew up fast assuming they lived to grow at all.

"He was the guy that B.A. was hanging around a lot between missions. Remember that ragtag squad that was going around targeting medics?"

That brought a scowl to Hannibal's face.

"I remember. That was Decker's doing. Those guys were looking for payback over one of the clinics that Decker had bombed. So you're saying B.A. was watching DeSoto's back?"

"That sums it up. I sure wasn't going to question it. B.A. takes an instant dislike to a lot of folks, but instant like's a lot rarer. Besides, Roy and me hit it off as well. I'd like to see him again, but guess that needs to wait until things cool down, huh?"

"That would probably be better all the way around, son. So? Best friend?"

Murdock pulled off his ball cap and held it in his hands.

"Well, you know that I was almost always on call for flying and that meant staying sober. And I never was into catting around, so that kind of limited my social options. Roy could get called out at a moment's notice too, so he never drank much and he had a wife and kid waiting for him at home. Being a medic, he'd also seen a few too many close up examples of what a romp with the wrong gal could do to portions of your anatomy, so he stayed clear of the houses as well. We just start talking after that bug-out and – I dunno – it just happened."

Dusting his cap off against his knee, Murdock plopped it back on his head thoughtfully.

"Part of it was Roy just being who he was – still is, I'd bet. We barely made it back, you know. And when I looked back into the belly of the helicopter after we landed, I've seen sheets with more color than he had left. But he got up as if we'd never left the ground and started checking how bad me and my wingman had been hit. Roy told me later he got the shakes so bad a few hours after that he didn't dare drink anything hot, but so long as there was someone that needed attention, he kept it together."

"Kind of like you do in the air, Captain?"

Chuckling at that, Murdock stood back up.

"I guess so. I'd better get back before Billy starts feeling neglected. Oh, Colonel? You're trying too hard, sir. From what I've seen, the jazz is kind of like lightning. Give it a chance to strike."

Hannibal laughed out loud at that.

"You just might have a point. I think I just sit out here a little longer though - enjoy the day and my cigar."

Without warning, Murdock took off running.

"Darn it, Billy! No fair taking a head start. Come back here!"

Leaning back, Hannibal sighed.

"And I'm taking advice from him. I'm the one that should have my head examined."


	5. Chapter 5

Outside of Roy's home, the man that had put on the delivery uniform was moving the pizza van closer to their own so that they could dump the young pizza delivery man's body in the back of it, out of sight. That done, the disguised man picked up the pizzas and headed for the front door. The other man went along with him, then stood to the side where he wouldn't be seen from the door, keeping an eye on the neighborhood.

The game hadn't been as riveting as it could have been (with the score being non-existent), so Johnny was expertly tossing and catching popcorn in his mouth to amuse himself. When they heard the knock at the door, he missed and a piece bounced off of his nose to the amusement of the other three guys. Chet waved Roy back down when he started to get up.

"That should be our pizzas. I'm the one paying for them, so stay put, Roy. I'll get it."

Roy had no objections to settling back down on the couch. Chet headed for the door, neatly snagging the next piece of popcorn Johnny tossed up into the air and popping it into his own mouth.

"Thanks, John."

"Hey!"

Johnny took a playful swat at Chet that the Irishman easily dodged. Chet was still chuckling as he looked out to verify that it was the pizza delivery before opening the door.

Chet wasn't looking directly at the man holding the pizzas as he opened the door. He was, as most would likely would be, reaching into his pocket for the money he had folded up and waiting on the food's arrival. Getting attacked by the pizza guy was the furthest thing from his mind - which was what the men had been counting on. The pizzas were dropped and before Chet could even register that, he was hit by a hard blow and shoved against a wall face first as the second man came in with his gun already drawn.

All three men were looking toward the hall after the thumps. Roy called out even as he was getting up.

"Chet? What was that noise? Are you alright?"

An unknown voice coming from the hall got all of their attention.

"He's been better, but he'll be a whole lot worse if you don't all cooperate."

When the man came around the corner with the gun, Johnny dropped the bowl of popcorn. Eyes moving over the three before stopping at Roy, the man gestured at him with his gun.

"Who else is in the house?"

Putting his hands up in a placating gesture, Roy kept his voice even and level.

"Just us. No-one else is here."

"We'll verify that. Bring the other guy in here, Mack."

They all stiffened as Chet was half-drug into their sight. He was obviously not moving well on his own and blood was coming from his nose and mouth. Roy automatically took a step in Chet's direction, but stopped when the man gestured with the gun again. Then Chet was shoved roughly down to the floor and the gun was then trained on him to keep the other three where they were.

"Check the rest of this place. Anyone else is here, we let this one join the dead pizza guy."

That statement told them just how bad the situation was - the men were killers and didn't seem to have any qualms about killing again. Roy was extremely glad Joanne and the kids were far from the house, but very puzzled as to what these men were doing here.

"Guy was telling the truth, Bob. Place is clear."

"Good. Make use of this guy's phone and call the boss. Let him know what we have and see what he wants done."

Bob gave Chet a hard nudge with one foot.

"Stay still you or I'll make sure you stay still permanently."

Mack came back a couple of minutes later.

"Boss said to bring the guy plus the other fireman."

"Fine."

Bob pointed to Roy.

"You're coming with us. Now, who else is a fireman?"

Mike was the one to speak up.

"All of us are firemen."

"Tell another one, smart guy, and this one gets shot now."

Roy looked down at Chet, hoping he was making the right decision.

"He's telling the truth. Look in Chet's wallet. His ID should be in it. We're all firemen."

Bob's eyes narrowed, but he moved back a step while Mack checked Chet's pockets and pulled out his wallet.

"Well I'll be - this one actually **is** a fireman. You other two got the same kind of cards? Pull them out - very slowly."

Mike and Johnny complied, pulling out their wallets and showing their IDs as well.

"Four of them, four guys we're after. Might work, Bob."

"Well, the boss wanted firemen, so we'll take them all. He can sort 'em out. Congratulations, gentlemen. Since all of you are firemen, you all get to live. This is how this is going to work."

Pointing to Johnny then to Mike, Bob gestured them over to the side.

"You two will go with Mack and load into the van. Draw attention or make a fuss and this Chet guy won't leave the house."

He directed his attention to Roy next.

"After they're settled, we'll go join them. Get moving. We don't have all day here."

Johnny and Mike moved toward the door, exchanging a glance with Roy as they passed. It was plain that he had no more idea of what these men wanted than they did. It didn't sit well with any of them to just go along, but at the moment, that was the only choice they could see that they had without someone getting seriously hurt or killed. They would play along, keep alert and hope that an opportunity would arise later.


	6. Chapter 6

Not that Johnny wasn't already very concerned about their situation, but when Chet was shoved into the back with them and Roy wasn't, it added another level to his worry. Chet was awake but not as alert as Johnny would have preferred to have seen. As roughly as Chet had been handled, Johnny was suspecting a concussion. Johnny wished he could reach Chet better to examine him, but had to hope that he'd be able to later. Giving a frustrated jerk to the restraint at his wrist, he spoke softly.

"Either of you have any idea who these guys are?"

Chet almost shook his head, but he thought better of the move and stayed as still as he could as the van started moving.

"Never saw them before in my life."

"Me either, John."

"Roy wasn't showing any signs of recognition either. Why would guys like them be after Roy? Did they say anything on the way in, Chet?"

"Not a single word. First time they spoke to me was when the one guy kicked me."

Mike frowned as he tried to think it all through. He and Johnny were both cuffed by one wrist, the chain attaching them to the benches they were seated on. Chet was on the floor between them, not attached to anything himself, but as Johnny had already noted, not in the best condition. Not that he could have done much to help the other two without keys even if he were able to move with nausea.

"John? Have you guys had any runs recently where someone seemed to get mad with Roy?"

"I've been running things through my head, Mike - I'm coming up blank. I mean, we've had a couple of weird calls, but nothing where anyone took exception to Roy that I can recall."

Up in the front of the van, Roy was having a very uncomfortable ride. There was a narrow space between the bench seat and the panel separating the driver compartment from the back storage area - and he had been forced into it. His hands were bound behind him, but the worst part, so far as Roy was concerned, was not having any idea how his three friends were. Especially after Bob seemed to take pleasure in opening the back of the pizza van long enough to make sure Roy knew he hadn't been lying about killing the delivery man and emphasizing that the same would happen to his friends if he didn't do as he was told.

Roy gave an involuntary shudder at that memory. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen death in many forms on the job, but someone deliberately killing someone else for no other reason than wanting to make use of their uniform? That was callous beyond his ability to comprehend.

It didn't help his feelings when the van finally stopped and he was dragged back out, but the back remained closed. Roy was forced into a building and then inside of a room where a man was waiting. There was something about him that Roy couldn't put his finger on, but the man gave him the creeps. He was positive that he'd never seen the man before, but the man gave a thin smile and nodded.

"This is the one. You know what to do with him, Sam. You have ten minutes."

"Right, boss."

"Now, did you bring the other fireman?"

Bob looked a little uncomfortable.

"All three guys with him were firemen. So we brought them all, Mister Donner."

Donner seemed surprised, but not displeased.

"Well then, show me who we have to work with."

Johnny had been getting steadily more aggitated since the van had come to a stop. It was beginning to get uncomfortably warm and he could tell from the expression on Mike's face that he was having similar thoughts - now that these guys had used them to get Roy to cooperate, were they just going to abandon the three of them in the back of this van? Johnny's emotions were torn between relieved and apprehensive when the back doors finally opened again and let in cooler, fresher air.

Donner looked over the three, focusing almost immediately on Johnny.

"That's the one we want. Baracus will recognize him. Take the other two inside. I'll figure out what to do with them later. Might make good leverage."

With the name Baracus spoken, things began to fit in Johnny's head. This guy must have seen Roy and that B.A. character together in the parking lot - and him as well. The only thing that made sense was that there was some sort of bad blood between B.A. and the man - and he was going to use Roy somehow to get even. Johnny's worry for his best friend skyrocketed as the man turned a smile onto him that would have done a shark proud.

"You care to see any of the other three breathing again, you'll listen close and follow my directions exactly. You're going to be given a package to deliver.  You'll be dropped off at a Chinese laundry. I'm told there's a Mister Lee there that has a way of getting in touch with the team. Contact your department or the police and I'll leave behind a random body before I move on with the other two. The package goes to Baracus and to Baracus only. Turn it over to anyone else and the same thing happens as if you'd contacted the police. Understand?"

Johnny swallowed. Maybe the man would know if he contacted the police, maybe he woudn't, but he couldn't risk the lives of his friends.

"I understand."

"Excellent. Bob? Let's get this man on his way."

Everything seemed to echo when the van doors were slammed shut again. All by himself now, Johnny couldn't help feeling a little angry at Roy's old friend. What was it that Baracus had done to the man that it had put all of them in danger? He quickly got past that thought though. It was pretty obvious to him who the bad guys were in this scenario.

Closing his eyes and trying to settle his thoughts, Johnny took a deep breath. He hoped whatever bonds of friendship remained from the past were strong enough that he would get help in saving his own friends.


	7. Chapter 7

The utility van backed into the alley beside the Chinese laundry so that no-one would observe Johnny being uncuffed and handed the box.

"Keep in mind, kid – lifespan of your friends depends on you doing exactly what you were told to do."

Johnny nodded numbly as he watched the man climb back inside the van and pull back away. He took a deep breath to steady himself as he closed his eyes briefly, then headed inside the laundry. Seeing a young woman behind the counter, he went over.

"Excuse me, Miss? I need to speak to Mister Lee."

After directing Johnny to a chair, the woman behind the counter dialed the number that she'd been left for Mister Lee. That number was only given out for Mister Lee, so Hannibal always knew how to answer it.

"Mister Lee. How may I be of service?"

She quickly filled him in on the young man that had come in asking for him – including the fact that the man seemed highly agitated, was carrying a package and kept rubbing one of his wrists. Hannibal frowned to himself, but told her he'd be there shortly.

Hanging up the phone, he called out into the back yard.

"B.A.! I need you to give me a ride to the laundry. Face and Murdock have the other car out."

"Sure thing, Hannibal. I'll be ready by the time you are."

At the laundry, it was all Johnny could do to stay seated and not pace. It seemed to be taking forever. Watching cars as they passed by, he suddenly spotted that distinctive looking van and the even more distinctive driver behind the wheel.

Without thinking about it, Johnny headed outside, not even hearing the woman behind the counter calling to him. He was just in time to reach the back of the van as it parked in the same alley he'd been dropped off at.

Inside the van, both Hannibal and B.A. froze at the sound of someone calling out.

"Mister Baracus!"

Glancing immediately into the side mirror, B.A. adjusted it to get a look at who had yelled.

"Hannibal – that's DeSoto's partner. What's he doing here?"

Leaning to take a look himself, Hannibal could see that the young paramedic matched the description of the man that was waiting to see Mister Lee. Right down to the package under his arm.

"I do believe that is who I came here to see. Since you and he have already met, why don't you see if he'll tell you what the problem is?"

B.A. nodded and got out of the van. He didn't have a chance to question anything as Johnny came straight over and started talking.

"You don't know how glad I am to see you, man. These guys took Roy because they know he knows you and they were talking about some team."

B.A. put his hands on Johnny's shoulders and immediately noticed the tremor going through the paramedic's body.  He shifted his voice to a more calming tone that he usually used as Johnny met his eyes.

"Slow down, man – start at the beginning."

Johnny closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Sorry – sorry. I jumped right into the middle. I'm just worried about my friends. We were all meeting at Roy's house to watch the game. Me, Mike and Chet. Any way - Chet had ordered pizza, but these guys, they killed the pizza guy -"

Hannibal had been hastily removing the Mister Lee disguise while listening and emerged as Johnny got the catch in his voice after talking about the killing. He saw Johnny rubbing his wrist again and held out a hand.

"Can I see that, son?"

Literally jumping at the unexpected voice, Johnny felt B.A. hands squeeze on his shoulders gently to calm him.

"Easy, man - this here's Hannibal. He leads our team."

"Hannibal Smith. I didn't know your partner well, but he took good care of some of my men."

It was an automatic reaction when Johnny offered his hand.

"John Gage, sir."

Hannibal reached out and, instead of just taking the offered hand, he took Johnny's arm, looking at his chafed wrist while Johnny was trying to process everything.

"How did you get this mark?"

Licking his lips then taking a calming breath, Johnny continued.

"It's like I was saying. They killed the pizza delivery kid and one of them put on his uniform so that Chet would open the door to take the pizzas. They attacked Chet and the one guy had a gun on Chet to make me and Mike go with the other guy. He forced us get in the back of their van and said if we made a fuss or drew attention, they'd kill Chet. So - he had these cuff things attached to the benches and fastened one of them to me and one to Mike. We didn't get to see Roy again, but they just dumped Chet between us on the floor."

Hearing the raspiness of Johnny's voice, B.A. reached inside the van and pulled out a bottle of water, offering to Johnny, who took it gratefully and drank a couple of gulps.

"Thanks. They drove awhile, then when they stopped, they left the three of us in the back. Got really uncomfortable and we thought for awhile that, you know, maybe since they were really mainly after Roy, now that they had him, they were just going to leave us there to die. Then the door opened and this guy recognized me too, so I guess they saw all three of us in that parking lot. They said since you'd recognize me, I was the one that had to deliver this."

Suddenly remembering what he had tucked under his arm, Johnny offered it over to B.A.

"He said he'd kill one of my friends if I gave this to anyone but you - and he'll also kill one if I talk to the police or the fire department. I don't know who these guys are, but they sure think killing is a solution to everything. Listen - I don't really know you, but I trust Roy – and he trusts you and that Murdock guy he and Chet were talking about."

B.A. interrupted.

"This Chet guy knows Murdock?"

"Uhm – no. He knows of him. He and Roy were both in Vietnam, but not in the same area. Please - I just want my friends back. Chet should already be seeing a doctor. And I didn't like the way they kept looking at Roy."

Hannibal indicated the van.

"Let's get the rest of the team before we see what's in that box. B.A., I don't want you opening it until we check it for a trap. Mister Gage? You're right that you don't know us, but DeSoto was part of our group for a little while. And I guess Murdock said it best - you don't get rid of a friend just because you aren't right next to each other all the time any more. We'll find a way to help them, son."


	8. Chapter 8

There was only a moment's hesitation before Johnny got into the van – which had an odor that reminded him a little too much of guns for his comfort. He wasn't sure how he felt about Hannibal calling him 'son' either, but it didn't sound like the man meant it in any sort of insulting way, so he decided not to comment on it. There were far more important things to focus on and these men were his only link to get Roy, Chet and Mike back.

"Mister Gage?"

"Johnny, please."

"Johnny – could you direct us to where you were all taken from? I'd like to get a look at the area."

"Sure. Anything that you think might help, but please? Who are those guys?"

He considered for a moment, then Hannibal sighed.

"Don't guess it will be any harm to tell you - not like you aren't already involved. The boys and I were asked to help take down a drug deal where the stuff was intended to be sold to kids. Which we were happy to help do, but apparently a few little details were left off that would have been nice to know. Such as the fact that the guys we went against were part of a much larger group. One that has been after us since we sent their other men to jail."

B.A. spoke up then.

"I'm really sorry, man – if I'd had any idea those guys were watching me, I wouldn't have went over to talk with Doc."

"I never got a chance to ask before, but you guys were talking about you being his bodyguard?"

"Yeah. There was awhile that a group was going around attacking our medical folks. While he was working our area, I tried to keep an eye on his back when I wasn't out on a mission. Doc never talks about it?"

"No. If it comes up, he generally changes the topic after just a little while. Chet hardly ever mentions it much either, come to think of it."

"Lot of unpleasant memories for them, I'd guess. And, well, it's the sort of thing that's hard to talk about around civilians. Even civilians that are close friends or family."

"I guess. He was talking about how badly the helicopter was shot up that he was in. Still seemed to shake him up some just remembering it."

"Murdock was mentioning that recently when I asked how they met. You'll have to see if he'll tell you the story. Bet it doesn't match your partner's version."

That comment got Johnny's back up a bit.

"I don't think Roy was lying to me."

"Oh, didn't mean to say I thought he did, son. I'd just be willing to bet he doesn't remember a lot of what he did. If I recall the reports right, it was his first time under heavy -."

The van stopped as B.A. interupted Hannibal.

"Colonel - we got police and county morgue vehicles ahead. Looks like they found that delivery man Johnny here was talking about. I can see the pizza van from here."

"Head us for home then, B.A. We can't look around without risking those guys thinking Johnny gave the police information."

Just then, they could see a body bag being lifted. Johnny sank back into his seat and didn't say a word for the remainder of the trip. He didn't even really have an idea where they were anymore when the van came to a stop and Murdock, as usual, came bounding out of the house to meet them. He hit the brakes again when he realized Hannibal and B.A. weren't alone.

Almost bouncing, head slightly cocked with curiosity like an over-eager puppy, Murdock looked from Hannibal to B.A. Chuckling, Hannibal got out and Johnny slowly got out after him, looking over the lanky man in the ballcap and brown leather flight jacket. Hannibal made a gesture toward Johnny.

"Murdock, this is Johnny Gage. DeSoto's partner."

There was a huge grin that formed as Murdock came over to greet Johnny.

"Wow - so you're Roy-boy's partner now? I've really been wanting to -"

It was like a switch had been hit. Partner was here, so Roy should be - ? Murdock looked to the van and then back to Johnny, looking deeply into the paramedic's eyes for a few seconds, before whirling on Hannibal.

"Where is he? What happened?"

The voice breaking in wasn't Hannibal but Baracus.

"Easy, Fool. That's what we're gonna be taking care of."

Then B.A. sighed and added.

"It's my fault, Murdock. They saw me talking to Doc and looks like they took him to get to us."

"Whoa. Back up. Those guys - the ones trying to kill us? They have Roy?"

Johnny spoke again for the first time since seeing the body bag.

"And two other of our friends."

Murdock turned again and Johnny found those emotive brown eyes studying him hard.

"You and Roy aren't just partners, are you?"

"No. He's also my best friend. Closest thing I've ever had to a brother."

Face joined them just in time to hear Johnny's answer to Murdock – as well as Murdock's soft comment.

"Bestest best."

Murdock turned to Hannibal again.

"Colonel? Remember what I said about waiting for lightning to strike? Screw that. Let's put up a lightning rod."


	9. Chapter 9

Hannibal glanced over at the package that was back in B.A.'s hands.

"Captain? Why don't you take John here inside and get acquainted while the three of us get a better look at this package in the back yard?"

"Roger that, mon Colonel."

Wrapping an arm around Johnny in a familiar way that Johnny wasn't at all sure about, Murdock began to guide him to the front door.

"If you're going to be hanging around the A-Team for awhile, you're going to have to start learning to translate. For example? What the Colonel just said actually means this: 'Hey Murdock, we have a package that may or may not explode when we attempt to open it. Either way, you starting to yodel while we're opening it isn't going to help and we don't want to blow up the guy we just met either because, well, that would just be a rude way to kick off a relationship.' It will become simpler to figure out for yourself as we go along. You look like you'll catch on quick."

Johnny's mouth opened, then closed again as the thought ran through his mind - _'I have to rely on these people to save the guys? Man . . .'_

Then it was as if Murdock had read his mind. He pointed Johnny to a chair.

"Don't sweat it, Muchacho. I'm the only crazy one on the team - the others made it out with all their marbles still in the pouch. So, how long have you and Roy known each other?"

Sitting, Johnny continued to watch the pilot, not sure if this was an act he was putting on or real.

"At little over two years now. How long did you two know each other?"

"About six months. Before you say it, I know that might not sound long here, but believe me, in a war zone? That's a lifetime."

Staying in Johnny's sight, Murdock moved to the refrigerator.

"Got Kool-aid, milk or orange juice. What do you want? Don't say nothing. You need to stay hydrated."

That got a chuckle.

"That sort of thing is usually my line. Juice, please."

"Right. Paramedic. B.A. told me that."

Pouring cherry Kool-aid for himself and juice for Johnny, Murdock came back into the room and offered Johnny the glass.

"So. Roy said you saved his life over there when he ended up on your helicopter."

"Maybe. More like a case of luck - I saved my own life by picking him up."

Taking a sip of his drink, Murdock then flashed a grin at the puzzled look on Johnny's face.

"Roy-boy left out that part, did he? So - what did he tell you?"

"That the medical unit that he was with came under attack and that yours was the only one of the helicopters that made it back."

Pausing for a moment, Johnny thought back.

"He said you and the guy with you were both hit and that one of the panels was like lace from all the holes."

Thinking back on what Hannibal had said, Johnny paused, then cleared his throat.

"Um - that **is** what happened, right?"

A slow nod came from Murdock.

"Yeh. Part of it. Listen. I wouldn't normally do this. I mean - you know - what Roy's comfortable with would be what you'd get. But you're his partner. Someday, something will remind him and take him back there. You gotta be there and bring him here. Promise?"

Something about Murdock's earnestness struck a chord deep in Johnny and he nodded.

"I promise to do my best to keep Roy in the here and now."

"Good man. Now - here's how it happened. We got the call to evac when a surge started without much heads up. Things were already bad before we got there. One of the tents had already been hit. I don't know how much you know about a bug-out, but you generally take the gear with you. There was none of that going to be happening that time around. We were going to be lucky to get the living out. They didn't send enough of us for even just the people if there hadn't already been heavy losses. Just weren't enough Huey's available on that short a notice."

Looking at his glass for a minute, Murdock took another swallow before continuing.

"It was every man for himself. Mostly. I guess that's one of the first things that drew my attention. Two men together. Made for a bigger target, you know? One of that pair was Roy - of course, I didn't know his name at the time. He was trying to get one of the wounded to my bird, but the guy was severely dragging him down. I couldn't stand seeing them struggle, so I told Greg to watch the controls while I went to the door to help them in. That delayed us getting up off the ground, but we took in four more guys. We were only supposed to carry seven - counting crew. But I wasn't going to tell anyone to get back off. That was a death sentence."

"First two birds off the ground? Fireballs. I got Snapdragon up to speed and got off the ground as the firing started, but at least it was gunfire and not rockets like the ones that killed the other two. Still, we took a lot of lead. I don't think anyone was onboard that didn't take at least one hit. One guy took three - we lost him before we landed."

Johnny noticed that Murdock's eyes seemed to have lost their focus - or maybe it was that he was focused on another place and time.

"When I got Snapdragon touched down, I looked back to see if we had anyone left."

That line chilled Johnny more than anything in the story so far. For a second, despite his lack of experience on being in a war zone, he fully connected to the story. He knew what it was like to drive someone injured to the hospital. He knew what it was like to have a patient in danger from their surroundings. It wasn't that hard for his mind to connect those two events. Murdock was deep enough into his memories that he didn't notice the shudder that went through his audience of one.

"Roy-boy was so pale, I thought he'd lost a lot of blood. All the blood on and around him made him look even paler. Then our eyes met and it was like a switch triggered. He got up just like we hadn't been zigzagging through hell. I was bleeding like a stuck pig and he - started talking to me. Asking where I was feeling pain, putting a pressure bandage on my leg. Soon as he was satisfied that he had things under control for me, he moved over and started taking care of Greg. I could tell from Roy's reactions to Greg's answers that something was wrong, but about then, the cavalry finally arrived and started evac'ing the men from the back."

"It was while Roy was working on Greg that I saw the bloody gauze. Blood on Roy's shirt? That I expected - he was hip-deep in wounded. That gauze though? That meant he'd tried to bandage himself, but he hadn't been able to angle himself to where he could get the pressure bandage tight enough. So soon as he finished with Greg, I ordered him over to me. I could do that - I outranked him. He knew a lot more than I did, but I knew enough field first-aid to get the pressure bandage adjusted right. They were starting to take Greg out then, when Roy turned around to thank me, of all things. Our eyes really met that time and he gave me a sort of half-hearted smile. I think it started then. The best friend part, I mean."

Remembering his juice, Johnny took a long drink as Murdock continued.

"Greg and Snapdragon both flew their last that day. Greg lived, but hit he took? Well, soon as he was strong enough, they sent him home. He said live in a wheelchair was better than dead in a box. Guess that was the right way to look at it. Surgeons said I'd live to fly again, but that it was a good thing there'd been a medic onboard or I'd have bled out before I reached them. So that's what I meant about it being my luck that I picked him up. If I'd been one of the first two birds off the ground, we'd likely have taken one of those shoulder rockets. And Roy kept enough blood inside me to keep the ol' heart pumping. Surgeons got the bullet out of him and Roy was going to make it and be back out in the field too - "

Something snapped then like a rubber band and Johnny found those soulful brown eyes lighting up suddenly into a smile as Murdock remembered where he was and who he was with.

"Well, not that him making it is any surprise to you, of course. We spend a few days side-by-side in the ward. I likely made him crazy. You've likely noticed I'm a bit of a talker."

Johnny's mouth formed a crooked half-grin at that.

"Bit of one myself. Some of the guys wonder how Roy puts up with it. I guess you got him used to it."

Then he remembered the danger Roy and the others were in and swallowed hard. It didn't escape the pilot's sympathetic gaze and he reached over to touch Johnny's leg briefly.

"Roy's a strong man around that soft heart of his, Johnny. He knows I won't give up on him and he knows you won't give up on him. That goes a long way in helping a guy get through things."

There was a noise from the door and they looked up to see the other three standing there with the now opened box. Murdock drew in a sharp breath. Their expressions told him things were bad. Very bad.


	10. Chapter 10

Face reached into the box and handed Hannibal the letter from inside it before reaching in again and pulling out a cassette tape, looking to Hannibal and B.A. before looking over to Murdock and Johnny. Hannibal cleared his throat before speaking.

"You two might want to head out to the back before we play this to find out what's on it."

"Nope. No how. No way. You guys aren't leaving me out of the loop here. Or Johnny either."

After speaking, Murdock looked back to Johnny who gave a firm nod of agreement, then they both looked to Hannibal as the Colonel slowly nodded.

"Alright then. Play it, Face."

Walking over to the stereo, Face popped the cassette in and winced as the first noise over it was the prolonged scream of a man. Hannibal didn't have to do anything more that watch Murdock and Johnny's reactions to it to know exactly whose scream it was. Johnny had heard Roy in pain before, but never like this. And he could make out the voice of Chet in the background yelling for them to stop. Chet's voice cut off far too sharply to be natural and that twisted Johnny's guts as well. As for Murdock? He knew the tone he was hearing even if he hadn't heard it in Roy's voice before. He'd heard other men being tortured in the past - his teammates included.

They all stayed silent as the tape played.

"Listen up. We've gotten the other fireman Baracus was seen with to bring you this package. If he takes his time finding you guys, that will just be that much more grief for his co-workers here. You see, every hour we're going to take a little time to get to know these guys better. Three o'clock tomorrow afternoon? We kill the one with the moustache if we haven't heard from you by then. Day after that, the other fellow will die. We still haven't heard from you? You'll have to pay your next visit to DeSoto here at the cemetery."

There was a grunting noise then a gasp of pain as the man spoke again.

"So, DeSoto? Got anything you want to say to the A-Team?"

"The who?"

The sound of the blow made Johnny wince, then a different voice spoke up in the background.

"The man might not know what his old friends are into these days, Bob."

The second voice grew louder – presumably as he came closer to the recorder.

"Baracus, Murdock, Face and Hannibal are the A-Team, fireboy. Them sticking their noses into things that don't concern them is why you and your pals are in this mess. So? Say something to them."

The voice had a raw edge to it, but it was unmistakably Roy.

"Rann - watch over Bagheera."

"What the hell kind of message is that?"

"You asked if I wanted to say something. That's what I wanted to –"

There was another, harder blow and a low moan. Johnny was on his feet, hating every second that he knew his friend was hurting without him being able to help him.

"You want to record over that?"

"No time. Boss is waiting for the package. Finish it off and get it out to the van."

The tape ended abruptly then. Johnny was just staring at the stereo. So were Hannibal, B.A. and Face. Murdock had his face in his hands as Hannibal moved over to lay a hand on his shoulder.

"Murdock? Whatever DeSoto said must have had some meaning, but not to me. I guessing it means something to you, son?"

There was a slow nod from the pilot. Raising his head, his eyes flashed briefly over his teammates, but he didn't say anything. He just shifted his gaze over to Johnny.

"The message was about Johnny."

At that, Johnny's eyes finally left the stereo and gave Murdock a questioning look.

"Those guys must have said something around Roy to make him think they aren't planning to let him go. What he said – that was Roy asking me to take care of you for him."

"No! No way!"

"Easy, John."

Even as he spoke to the paramedic to try and calm him, Hannibal was distracted by the far-away, yet thoughtful, look on Murdock's face.

"Captain?"

"Just thinking over Roy-boy's choice of wording, Colonel. I mean, he knew that they weren't going to let him give us any information if they knew that's what he was doing."

Murdock got up and started pacing, saying something to himself that none of them could quite make out. Then he stopped and looked back at Johnny.

"How good are you at estimating time?"

That question took Johnny by surprise.

"Uhm – decent, I guess. Why?"

"About how long was it from when they gave you the package until they dropped you off?"

"I got a glimpse of the sun when they opened the van doors. Not a lot of time. I'd say less than a half-hour."

"Think back. Did you notice anything else? A smell? A sound? Anything?"

"I – saw the corner of a building. Kind of looked industrial. And there was something about the smell that reminded me of a hospital, but I'm not sure exactly why it reminded me."

"Blood maybe?"

Snapping his fingers, Johnny nodded.

"Yeah! That's it. Old blood and disinfectant."

Murdock turned to Hannibal then.

"Colonel - I was telling Johnny here about when Roy and I were stuck in the hospital together. There was only one book there worth reading. Volume of Kipling. We had parts of that memorized before they let us up. Our favorite parts were the Jungle Book tales – like Mowgli's Brothers. We read it so much to keep from getting bored that we started making jokes with it. He had a kid, so I'd call him Father Wolf. I had to fly body bags and wounded a lot, so he'd call me Rann after a carrion bird to mess with me."

"Anyway – that's all kind beside the point. Roy mentioned Rann and Bagheera. The only time those two talk to each other, Bagheera promises to leave the head of his next kill for Rann. Hannibal? I think they might be being held at a slaughterhouse."

B.A. had worked at a slaughterhouse in his past and nodded.

"That would explain the old blood and disinfectant smell, Colonel."

Face was already grabbing maps from where they kept them.

"They couldn't risk getting pulled over with a guy restrained in the back, so we can give a good guess as to how far they could have come in that half hour and we look in that radius for that type of building."

Murdock grabbed a phone book and handed it to Johnny, knowing that he'd rather be doing something instead of just standing around.

"Why don't you find the listings for meat-processors or butchers? We can match them up to our target are or eliminate some that are out too far. Meantime, just keep thinking back to see if you can remember any other little thing. Every puzzle piece makes the picture all the easier to see."


	11. Chapter 11

If he gave it some thought, Roy guessed he'd probably been in more pain on some occasions in the past, but he really couldn't remember when. Maybe it was because in those periods, the pain might have been intense, but for a shorter length of time. In this case, the pain was being prolonged. It felt like days instead of hours that the men had hauled up on the rope that kept making it feel like his shoulders were going to dislocate at any time. If he pressed down with the toes of his feet, he could take the pressure off of his arms for a little while, but he couldn't do that for long periods of time. Besides, his feet hurt as badly as the rest of him did.

Lifting his head as he tried to force his mind off of his own aches, Roy tried to evaluate his two friends. The attempt wasn't as successful as it might have been. It didn't help that his vision was blurry and they were across the room. Chet looked the worse for wear and seemed out for now, but the part about Mike that had him worried was how still the engineer had been ever since they'd brought him in. Roy didn't have much time to worry about that though. The hour was up again.

Hearing the door opening, Roy took as deep of a breath as he could with the way that he was tied and waited. As had become the usual pattern, the first thing the men did was to knock his feet out from under him, jerking his elbows up painfully.

"Haven't heard from them yet. Maybe your partner decided he'd quit while he was ahead and just left, eh?"

That he didn't believe for a minute, but he didn't plan to respond to the jibe one way or another. Roy stayed silent and his silence brought the usual response - being lashed by what seemed to be a riding crop - this time across the back of his legs. He did his best to bite back any noise, but he couldn't always manage it. Roy cringed when he heard the sounds played back after they finished.

"Very nice. We'll send this tape to them along with the mustache guy's body. Between them, maybe they'll figure out we mean business."

Laughing, they exited again and Roy drew a ragged breath in. At least there was an hour before they started again. A small noise caught his attention and he gave a bleary look over to Mike. It took three beats for it to sink in that Mike's hands were free. No wonder he'd been being so quiet.

Mike quickly made his way over to Roy, speaking softly.

"Let's get you down from there."

Getting out of the cramped position the ties were keeping him in sounded good, but Roy's eyes went over to Chet.

"Get Chet out of here, Mike. I don't know exactly how much time has passed and those guys have been talking about killing him first. I don't know if I could walk right now, let alone run. I don't think Chet could either. Helping one of us, you might get out, but both of us? It won't work."

"Not happening, Roy."

The third member of the group spoke up then, Roy's first indication that Chet wasn't unconscious.

"Mike's right. The only reason John left is he was still chained to the van. So - let's let Mike get us loose and see what we can do to slow these guys until the help comes that we know is coming."

As Mike moved to see what he could do about the ropes, Roy had mixed feelings. He really did want his friends out of this situation, especially as he felt it was his fault that they were in it in the first place. On the other hand, he didn't have any desire to remain here by himself. Part of him was happy that they were staying with him.

Apparently, Chet could see Roy's expression pretty well.

"Oh for pity's sake, DeSoto. No guilt trips. You didn't invite those losers over. Put the blame on them."

"Listen to Chet. Not often the man is right, but when he is?"

"Hey!"

That got a short chuckle from Roy that cut off with a hiss as Mike loosened one of the ropes that had been restricting blood flow in his arms. As Mike continued to work, he spoke softly as if not wanting Chet to hear.

"Is Chet right that those guys will come for you?"

"If Johnny is able to find them and let them know? Murdock and B.A. will come even if the other two don't. And if Hannibal's still anything like his rep, he'll be with them. I don't recall much about anyone named Face, but if he's with the others? Yes. They'll come."

Lowering Roy to the floor, Mike laid a hand on his shoulder briefly before going over to free Chet.

"Then we work on staying together and alive until they can get here."


	12. Chapter 12

The combination of Johnny, B.A. and Murdock searching pulled up three possibilities. Face had departed to scam a helicopter while Hannibal paced and thought things over very carefully. It was a shame he couldn't just turn the location over to the police so that they could arrest the men for kidnapping the firefighters, but there was too big of a chance then of a hostage situation and getting the men hurt or killed. That wasn't acceptable. Still?

Hannibal cast a speculative look over at Johnny. Possibly this was one of those times when being totally upfront was called for. Nodding to himself, Hannibal moved over to the table they were at and laid a hand on Murdock's shoulder.

"We don't have a lot of time before Face will be back, so now's when we need to talk. It's like this, John - myself, B.A. and Face? No way to get around it really, we are fugitives. We broke out of military prison and we've been on the run ever since. Mainly because we don't care to stand in front of a firing squad for something we didn't do. We haven't figured out a way yet to prove we're innocent, so? We keep moving because we sure as hell aren't going to be able to clear our names if we let them shoot us."

Taking a moment to digest all of that, Johnny noticed a name was missing.

"And Murdock?"

The pilot shrugged and gave him a grin.

"Just an escapee from the Looney bin, not prison, muchacho. We were all together, but they decided to label me nuts instead of tossing me in with my unit."

Johnny rubbed his forehead. Great. Now the lives of his friends were depending on three fugitives and a crazy man. Then he thought it through a little further. There was no reason that they had to admit all of that to him. Unless?

"You need me to do something, don't you?"

"You're quick on the uptake, John. These guys are murderers, kidnappers, drug runners - let's face it, they need to be off of the streets. We can't do that and we don't kill. Do you know anyone in the local police force that might be willing not to look too closely at us in order to get their hands on them?"

Much as he wanted to get help for his friends, Johnny couldn't lie.

"I know Vince would like to get those guys off the streets, but asking him to ignore you guys? Vince's an honest cop."

He found Murdock snaking a hand to his.

"What if we just don't mention that part about us to him? I mean, I'm willing to risk him already knowing about us to get Roy and your friends back."

Meeting Murdock's eyes was a disconcerting thing for Johnny. Most folks he knew tried to hide their emotions. Murdock's? His feelings practically poured out. Johnny locked eyes with him.

"You'd be willing to lose your freedom to save them?"

"I won't say that I'll enjoy it, but yeah. Hell, who else could I use all the Jungle Book lines with other than Roy?"

Johnny could tell that Murdock had thrown in the last to try and lighten things up. And it worked at least a little. Johnny gave Murdock a slight smile in return and found himself being drug up out of his chair.

"You're a fireman and a paramedic. That means you're a trained observer. Look over the map at the places we've found. I bet you can narrow us down to one spot."

Wishing he felt even half as confident as Murdock obviously did, Johnny began looking over the map slowly. Then his eyes lit up.

"This one can't be the place. See these buildings? If this had been where we were, they would have been between me and seeing the sun."

The smile that came from Murdock was like a ray of sunshine. B.A. and Hannibal came closer now, watching as Johnny alternated between studying the map and closing his eyes to visualize what little he'd seen from the back of the van when the doors had been opened. Finally, he tapped at one of the two options remaining.

"This one is all wrong too. This is a main road. There wasn't a main road that close to the place that we were. I would have heard the traffic a lot clearer. There was a rough stretch of road just before we stopped. . ."

Eyes moving to look over the last location. Then he gave a sudden gasp, finger stabbing down on top of what seemed to cinch that location.

"The hard bumps near the end. Train tracks."

The expression on Murdock's face seemed like pride as he again took Johnny off-guard by giving him a hug. B.A. chuckled at Johnny's expression. 

"You're gonna need to get used to that if you're around him much. Fool's kinda huggy."

Now that they were as sure as they could be that they had the right location, Hannibal looked for the best ways to approach the area.

"John? Would you be willing to call this Vince friend of yours and ask him to meet us?"

"I will. If you have a portable tape player, I think Vince really needs to hear that too."

"Good idea. Let's get things started, men. We're running short on time."


	13. Chapter 13

Vince was not only willing to listen but, once he had the details, he pulled the sheriff himself in.

"Sheriff Webb should be in on the phone call when you talk to these guys. Do a trust chain. Johnny trusts me – I trust the sheriff."

Hannibal was uneasy but agreed. All six men were gathered around the speaker phone when Hannibal made the call as instructed on the letter.

The voice on the other end of the phone sounded disappointed.

"You interrupted our next session with your old buddy. Shame. He's a lot of fun."

They could hear a soft click and then the sounds of the last beating they gave Roy started playing. Johnny's knuckles turned white as he gripped the arms of the chair he was in at the sound of his partner in pain. Vince had already played the first tape for the sheriff and both of them had a disgusted expression on their faces at this new recording. Another soft click brought it to an end.

"So, are we ready to deal?"

Before Hannibal could say anything, Murdock spoke up.

"I am. Me for DeSoto."

Face jumped up then, moving as if to take the phone away, but Hannibal grabbed his arm. That didn't stop Face from yelling.

"Murdock! No!"

There was a chuckle on the other end of the line.

"The crazy pilot, huh? Fine. We'll take that trade. You find yourself a ride with a radio and we'll tell you where to go once you're in the air. Come alone. You have one hour to make contact again or your pal will regret it."

They heard the click of the connection ending and Johnny went over to Murdock as he hung up the phone.

"Roy won't like this, you know."

Something flashed in Murdock's eyes that Johnny couldn't quite understand. Then the pilot reached out and took a firm grip on Johnny's arm.

"We be of one blood, thou and I. I'll take care of your bestest best – you take care of mine."

For a second, Johnny thought Murdock was making fun of his heritage, but then the wording tickled at the back of this mind.

"What you just said. Was that from the Jungle Book?"

The grin Murdock flashed answered that just before the grin vanished and Murdock turned to Face.

"Show me where you have my bird, Face. Tempus neminem manet."

As he hung the phone up, Donner chuckled. His men looked slightly puzzled.

"I thought you were going to trade the other guy, boss."

"Once we have their pilot, it won't matter. They won't leave town without him. Besides - said I'd trade for Murdock. Never agreed to take DeSoto anywhere. We'll toss him outside. How far do you think he'll get after what we've done to his feet and legs? Once he passes out, we'll drop him on the tracks and let the trains do the rest."

Back in the room with Mike and Chet, Roy couldn't help looking toward the door constantly. He knew that it had to be close to time for the hour to be up.

Roy had to give Chet credit. Give the man free-rein and he could come up with the darndest things. The man knew his knots and apparently all of those days working with rigging up water bombs and other traps had kept his skills sharp.

The side of the door facing them was a basic latch you'd see in many old industrial buildings. It was locked and after the way Chet had rigged some of the rope that had been tying them before? It was very likely to stay locked. At any rate, they weren't going to be opening that door from the other side easily.

Mike hadn't been idle while Chet was working with the rope. There was a single window fairly high up and he'd managed, with a little help from Roy, to stack enough of the miscellaneous things in the room to make a steady enough way to get up to it.

He didn't know how long this place had been here, but Mike was willing to bet that this window hadn't been anybody's priority to clean for a long time. As he wiped at the grime with part of his shirt, he looked down at his two friends. Chet wasn't complaining, but he could tell from the very careful movements and occasional wincing that Chet's head was hurting bad. Roy could hardly stand, but he was slowly going around the room, looking for anything that they might be able to use. Time was short.

When Mike finally got a good look out of the window, he was surprised to see that it wasn't as far away from the ground as he'd been afraid it would be. Seven, maybe eight feet. The window itself might be a bit of a challenge - not for him really, but he didn't have a broad a set of shoulders. Even so, he thought all of them could make it out in a pinch. If they were all healthy - which they weren't.

Still, it wasn't in any of their natures to simply wait for something to happen. Mike took a closer look at the window. It wasn't sealed very well and the caulking around it was cracked. Well, wasn't as if he didn't have time. Slowly, Mike began to carefully remove the old caulk. If he could get the window out, they'd be able to use this exit faster in case of - well whatever.

There was really no telling what the next few hours might bring, but Mike briefly looked back down at Chet, who was staying near the door to listen out for their tormentors, and then at Roy, who was still searching through everything in the area and slowly gathering anything he thought might be of some use. They'd be as ready as they could be to face whatever came.

Recalling a poem from his school days, Mike focused back on his own work. They would not go gently into that good night.


	14. Chapter 14

Face found out two things very quickly. The first was that Murdock was not about to be turned away from getting into the helicopter despite objections from himself, Sheriff Webb and Vince. Face was a bit put out that Johnny was staying silent, finally turning around and scowling at him.

"Why don't you say something? This plan, if it can be called a plan, is crazy!"

There was silence for a minute longer but, when Johnny spoke, he captured the attention of everyone else in the area.

"Murdock has been Roy's friend longer than I've been. And I know that if those men would have given me the option to trade myself for Roy, I would have done it. Why would I condemn Murdock for doing something I'd do myself if I could?"

Flashing Johnny a grateful smile, Murdock filled in.

"Besides, thanks to Johnny's observations, you guys will likely be where I'm going before I get there, so it's not like I'll be facing anything by myself, right? If they think we're cooperating, they might not hurt the three guys any more. They'll be getting ready for me instead, right?"

"Yeah, well, it's how they might be getting ready for you that bothers me, buddy."

Murdock stopped and pulled his ballcap off for a minute as he walked over to Face. Taking his free hand, he used it to cup the back of Face's head and let their foreheads touch.

"I have every intention of making it out of this, you know. Me going in there solo gives you and the guys the chance to get there yourselves. They don't know that we already know where they are. Advantage us, right? While I've got their attention, get the hostages the hell out of there and then we'll show them just how very, very, very much they pissed us off when they went after innocents."

That finally got a grin out of Face and he gave his friend a squeeze on his shoulder as they pulled apart. Hannibal called out then.

"Let's get going. John - you stay here."

"No way! I already know Chet's got a probable concussion and you've heard the tapes. Roy's hurt and who knows what they may have done to Mike. If they need immediate attention, I'm the only one here that can give it to them."

Hannibal only considered for a minute before he snapped out.

"B.A.? Get him what we have in the way of medical supplies. Can't expect the man to work with just his bare hands."

Johnny relaxed then, knowing that he was going to be going. That was his partner out there - not to mention his shift mates.

Sheriff Webb and Vince were taken over to the map and shown the area as well. The sheriff and Hannibal exchanged a glance and nodded. They might not have been able to get enough evidence to put the men away on drug charges, but putting them away on murder, kidnapping, and assault would get them off the street as well. The group had been the bane of Webb's existence ever since he took his job. If this odd little four-man team could really help him? Well, his oath was to the citizens of Los Angeles county. The United States Army had a lot more men and resources than he had. They could deal with their own business without his help.

Murdock was in the helicopter, getting a feel for the machine and giving the 'ground troops' as much time as possible to be on their way to the area. There were only five minutes left of the hour when he dialed up the frquency on the radio and made the call. A few seconds later, a voice responded.

"Cutting it a little closer, weren't you?"

"Helicopters don't grow on trees. Onboard and awaiting directions."

"You alone? If not, get them off now. You show with anyone else on board, deal's off and one's dead."

"I'm all alone. Let's do this."

As he lifted off to follow the first set of instructions, Murdock was glad that the guys were already in route. If the first set of directions were any indication, they were going to take him there by a roundabout way that would have made it near impossible for the guys to have followed him by ground.

When the second set of instruction came through, he felt a moment of panic as they took him farther from where the building was. He'd placed his faith in Johnny's memories and he still trusted them. But what if the men had moved the others after taking Johnny away?

Taking a deep breath, Murdock shook his head. These weren't kids those guys had. They were three full grown men. Firefighters and two of them prior military. Not the kind of guys you moved around more than you had to. He had to believe that they were still in that same spot.

The third set of directions headed him back in the right direction and Murdock breathed a little easier. There were so many lives riding on this. Not only his own, his team, Roy and Roy's friends. There were also a whole lot of other people that they didn't even know that were going to be affected by getting these guys off of the streets. Murdock used the larger picture to keep both the crazy and his other emotions at bay. These were part of the same scum that had been giving drugs to elementary kids. One thing he believed all the men involved would agree on - it was worth some risk to put these guys away.


	15. Chapter 15

A satisfied sound came from Mike as he managed to pry away the last bit of caulk that was still holding the window's glass in place. He was in the process of gently removing the glass when he heard the sound of a helicopter approaching. Down below, Roy heard it as well, freezing in place and speaking what sounded almost like a desperate prayer.

"No. Please no."

Chet automatically looked upward with a worried expression, even knowing as he did it how silly it was to be looking that way. Wasn't like he could see through the roof, after all, so he shifted his gaze over to the window where Mike was and saw that Mike was looking puzzled. If Roy's friend was a helicopter pilot, wouldn't the sound of one be a good thing?

The direction of Chet's gaze caught Roy's attention and he looked up to the window as well. Seeing the mystified look on Mike's face, it dawned on Roy that Mike wasn't looking at helicopters the same way he and Chet were and he tried to explain.

"Helicopters are pretty vulnerable, Mike. Especially civilian ones. Think about how visible the people inside a helicopter are. If these men just want Murdock and his team dead and they see them inside? All they have to do is shoot it down."

The basic vulnerability of a helicopter to gunfire had never really crossed Mike's mind, but now that he gave it some thought, he could see why the others were worried. That brought up another thought to Mike as he felt a knot pulling tighter in his stomach.

"You don't think they'll let us go, do you?"

"Sorry, but no I don't. They kidnapped us, plus we know what most of them look like. Not to mention them confessing killing the pizza delivery guy to us. They killed that guy just for his uniform. They have a lot more reason to kill us than they did him. And I think that if they do manage to kill us that they'll go back after Johnny and try to kill him too."

Chet's voice was hoarse, but it carried well enough for the other two to hear him.

"There are times it's better to hear the truth, Roy. We need to get out of here. Yeah, we might be target practice out there, but in here, we're fish in a barrel. Besides, if we're all agreed that we're dead any way, why should any of Roy's old group die too?"

Mike relooked down to confirm that, yes, it really was Chet speaking. He'd never heard that tone from the lineman before, but he just nodded agreement and finished working the glass out of the window.

Still speaking from by the door, Chet looked back over to Roy.

"You first. I'll keep an ear out and bring up the rear after you and Mike are out."

While it was plain by his expression that Roy didn't like that plan, it was also plain that he couldn't come up with a better scheme. He just gave a nod and limped his way over to Mike, who assisted him as much as he could in getting to the window. It was a little snug getting his shoulders through and the drop to the ground below wasn't graceful by anyone's definition, but Roy was out with no more than another bruise or two added to what he already had.

Halfway afraid that Chet wouldn't be able make it to the window without assistance, Mike refused to go through until Chet joined him by the window. As he feared, Chet's balance was still way off, so there was a quick change of exiting order as Mike helped Chet out before squirming through himself.

Positioning himself in the center with Chet to his right side and Roy to his left, Mike got ready to help them move, but froze at the sound of gunfire from the other side of the building. He paused for one more moment, then started to help them get to the other side of the building to see if there was anything they could do to help. Even if only by causing a distraction.

"Sorry, Mike."

"Sorry for what, Chet?"

"I didn't know our brand of crazy was contagious."

"Yeah, well. If we make it out of here and get to Rampart, I'll see if Dr. Early can vaccinate me."


	16. Chapter 16

As they came around the corner, Roy could see Murdock not far from the helicopter with his hands up while one of the men, Sam, moved carefully behind him and began to check him for weapons. Two others were with Murdock - then Roy noticed something and reached over to lay a hand on Mike's shoulder.

"Mike - leave me and Chet here."

Roy held up his hand to stop Mike's objections.

"No, don't argue, just listen to me. There's three of them with Murdock and only that Bob guy currently has a weapon out. If you get close enough to help Murdock while Chet and I try to make a distraction, we might be able to get him away from those guys. But we don't have much time before they restrain him. We have to do it now."

Biting his lip, Mike just nodded and kept down, heading toward the helicopter. Sam was almost finished with the weapon search.

"Chet? I've heard you make some weird noises in your time. Can you do a wolf howl?"

"Hey, I can give it a shot."

Sam was reaching up to grab one of Murdock's wrists when Chet let out a long, loud howl - more coyote than wolf, perhaps - but it did the job in more ways than one. The van was parked not far away and Johnny recognized that sound. Chet had let out a howl like that once before around him - back on their first fishing trip together.

"They **are** here - that's Chet's voice."

Hannibal was giving a tug to the wrist of his left glove as he shot Johnny a side glance.

"Your co-worker always howl?"

"Considering some of the things I've heard come out of the mouths of your team, I don't think you've got any room to criticize."

Johnny halfway expected to be yelled at, but got a chuckle instead as the doors to the van opened. Vince and Sheriff Webb were already climbing out, both of them looking in the direction of the howl. Apparently Chet's voice carried very well in this relatively quiet area.

"You got a point there, kid. Let's move it."

Back by the helicopter, Murdock's head had snapped up at the noise. He caught sight of Roy just as Mack did.

"Hey! One of the fire guys got out!"

Murdock took advantage of the moment of distraction, yanking his wrist away from Sam, who was still behind and going for the gun held by Bob. The weapon discharged and there was a scream of pain even as Mike broke cover and tackled the third man on the scene.

When Donner and his personal guard stepped out of the building to see what was going on, they found themselves being told to freeze by Vince and the sheriff while Johnny and the rest of the A-Team hurried past, hoping that whoever it was that had screamed after the gunshot hadn't been one of their friends.

Murdock was still fighting with Bob. Sam had been the one hit by the misfire, but the wounded man was still mobile and in the process of pulling out his own gun when Face jumped him. Murdock jumped, then breathed a sigh of relief when B.A. clamped one of his powerful hands on the shoulder of the gunman.

"Need a little help with this fool, Murdock?"

"I'll take all the help I can get, Big Guy - thanks."

Hannibal moved over to give Mike a hand with Mack, who was still fighting with the engineer. When Mike had enough freedom to look around and see Johnny, he pointed the younger paramedic toward where his partner and Chet were. Looking where Mike was pointing, Johnny quickly made a beeline for the spot.

"Man, it's good to see your homely face, John."

"You aren't exactly a movie star yourself, Chester B. You're just lucky I already know you're hurt or I'd poke you."

"Why doesn't that make me feel lucky? Seriously though, only so much you can do for me, repair-wise. Take care of your partner there. They really did a number on his feet and legs. I don't know how he managed to walk this far."

"I got here the same way you did, Chet. We didn't have a choice. Junior? Are you okay?"

"Don't even start being worried about me, pally. When I heard those screams, I was afraid that-"

Roy reached out and grabbed Johnny's shoulder.

"Those tapes? You heard them?"

From behind Johnny, he heard Chet's voice, but even knowing it had to be Chet, he still glanced over his shoulder. The tone was sharper than anything he'd ever heard Chet use before.

"Roy? Don't you dare go there again."

Chet met Johnny's questioning eyes with a shrug and mouthed the words 'guilt trip'. He knew Johnny go the message when he rolled his eyes and turned back to Roy.

"Chester's right for once. Now hold still and let me look at your legs."

Both Roy and Johnny started to grin at Chet's mumbling.

"Why does everyone always have to qualify it when they admit I'm right about something?"


	17. Chapter 17

Things were a combinaton of quick and slow toward the end. The gang was secured quickly, but everything went to a standstill until Sheriff Webb could get a search warrant issued, but that didn't seem that would take very long as he had plenty of probable cause to want to search this property. Still, they were in a sort of holding pattern until the warrant arrived.

Johnny wanted to get Roy and Chet to Rampart, but there was no ambulance on the scene. Sheriff Webb asked how they were and since they weren't in critical condition, he suggested they just rest where they were and then send for an ambulance once he and his men searched and made sure everything was secure and safe. Since there really wasn't another option, Johnny agreed.

Murdock went over to join Johnny next to Roy, enveloping the sernior paramedic in a hug that would have mortified Johnny, but which Roy seemed to take in his stride. In fact, Johnny was taken aback a little at how closely the two seemed to be connected even after their years apart. When Murdock started talking a little too fast or began getting a little too wound up, Roy would reach over and touch him - on the shoulder, on the arm, wherever he could easily reach.  And that touch seemed to steady the pilot as well as amuse him apparently because Murdock kept breaking out into huge smiles.

Murdock also seemed highly amused by Chet's enthusiasm at meeting him, including making the offer to teach the lineman how to howl 'properly'. Johnny was hoping Chet wouldn't take him up on that offer.

Face came over cautiously, he and Roy kind of silently studying one another while Murdock began going off a bit. Without any thought to the matter, they both reached out to touch Murdock simultaneously. Catching that they'd mirrored actions, Face and Roy looked straight at each other and started laughing. That relaxed Johnny as well - he'd noted even in the short amount of time he'd been with them how protective Face was regarding Murdock.

Hannibal was lighting a cigar and talking to Mike while B.A. stayed by Vince and made sure the men under arrest didn't get any ideas about trying to leave. When the warrant came, it came with three more cars of deputies to help with the search. When they found the van that the four firemen had been in, they found not only the handcuffs that had held Johnny still fastened to the inside of the van, but also the uniform of the dead pizza delivery man, nametag still attached. Sheriff Webb was making up a list of charges - petty theft (for the uniform items), breaking and entering (since they had forced their way into Roy's home), assault and battery, kidnapping and murder. And since the murder had been committed in order to stage the kidnapping, he was pretty sure that the D.A. would charge them with Capital Homicide.

Once the scene and the kidnappers were fully secured, Sheriff Webb put in the call for the ambulance as Vince moved over to have a quiet word with Hannibal. Hannibal looked up and met the Sheriff's eyes as he nodded his understanding. Gathering his men, the A-Team left the scene as quietly as possible. Murdock gave Roy's hand a final firm squeeze before heading for the van.

Johnny watched Roy as he watched the van drive away, waiting until it was nearly out of sight before speaking.

"You've missed him, haven't you?"

"Murdock? Yeah, yeah I have. I'm still getting used to finding out he's alive. We'll see them again though. Now that they know I'm around and I know they're around."

"Roy? Murdocks' a little . . . well, I mean he's -"

Chuckling, Roy laid a hand on Johnny's arm. He meant to try for the shoulder, but he was flat out too sore to reach that high.

"He sure is. So, what do you need translated? It takes a little while to get fluent in Murdockian."

"He referred to you and me as 'bestest best'. What does that mean?"

"If I had to guess - and I do - I'd say he's comparing us to him and Face. Closer to brothers than friends."

"Oh. So - compliment then?"

"Well, unless you find it insulting for him to think of you as my brother, Junior."

"Nope, I'm good with that. Roy? Could I ask you something else?"

"Sure."

"He said you were stuck with nothing to read but Kipling books."

"Well, we could have read Army manuals, but a guy likes to stay awake for more than five minutes at a time every now and then."

"Did Kimmy's name come from one of his books?"

Roy flushed a bit, which pretty much answered the question.

"Don't tell Joanne, okay? She might not be too keen on where I got it from."

"Safe with me, pally. Hey, I think I hear the ambulance. Let's go get you guys checked out."


	18. Chapter 18

While the story about four firefighters being kidnapped by a drug ring hit the news - as it was bound to do - the A-Team was left out of the story altogether after Sheriff Webb discretely reminded the men's attorney that, if the A-team was mentioned, he'd have to have a chat with the DA to add blackmail charges, another charge of kidnapping and assorted other offenses to the already lengthy list. The attorney agreed that bringing up anything else wouldn't do anyone any good.

Murdock, as Hannibal expected, was fairly moody even after everyone was rescued. A friend getting hurt for no other reason than being his friend bothered him - hell, bothered all of them a great deal. Seeing the rope burns and bruising on Roy hadn't helped the guilty feeling either. Unknown to Murdock though, Face and Johnny were keeping in touch. And making arrangements.

Johnny tended to set up a camping/fishing trip at least once a year for everyone and their families, so no-one thought anything was unusual when Johnny started putting out word for the gathering. It wasn't until they arrived and found a couple of tents were already pitched that anyone knew that this camping trip was going to be anything but ordinary.

Murdock was already bouncing and pretty much tackled Roy the second he was out of his car, causing Kim to break out in the giggles. Joanne had, of course, already heard quite a lot about Murdock (though she confessed to Johnny in private that hearing about the pilot was nothing compared to meeting him). It didn't even take an hour before B.A. grumbling.

"Darn Fool already has them poor kids playin' with that darn fool invisible dog."

And it was true - Kim, it seemed, was a natural at playing pretend fetch with Billy and even insisted on helping Murdock take Billy for his daily walks. All in all, it didn't take long for the two groups to become fairly well-acquainted. It also didn't take long for Cap to pull Hannibal to the side and enlist his help in keeping an eye on his teenage daughters and Face. Times like this were among the occasions that Hank wished his daughters were still Kim's age.

To no-one's surprise, Chet got along great with Murdock, but got on B.A.'s nerves. On the other hand, B.A. and Mike hit it off very well - not a shock after the others noted that both men's pride and joys had wheels. Johnny and Face continued getting along nicely - even more so when they found out that they could both list women as a hobby. And if Roy and Murdock happened to notice that the pair also had a good streak of vanity in common? Well, they chuckled about that to themselves, but didn't remark about it to the rest.

That evening at the campfire, Chet expressed his doubts as to the amount of Kipling that Roy and Murdock had actually memorized. Murdock's eyes sparkled as he flashed a grin over to Roy, who just shook his head.

"You might be the only one that cares to hear this, Chet."

The others prodded and added encouragement though - including his own two kids - so Roy looked over to Johnny.

"Toss over a couple of the canteens, Junior. We're going to need them."

Roy neatly caught both, passing one over to Murdock before closing his eyes briefly in a way that Johnny had seen before - when he was about to tell a story to Chris or Kimmy that he knew by heart. Chris and Kim recognized that look too and leaned forward slightly in anticipation as their father began to speak using his 'storyteller' voice.

"All that is told here happened some time before Mowgli was turned out of the Seeonee Wolf Pack, or revenged himself on Shere Khan the tiger."*

It soon became very evident that Roy was the narrator while Murdock supplied all of the characters - all with different voices. Since he'd been labeled Bagheera by Murdock, Johnny paid special attention to that part. A brief smiled formed the first time the line 'We be of one blood' came up - and he noticed it came up quite a bit in this particular story. He had a feeling which story was being told and it was confirmed about mid-way in the story when Bagheera spoke. How Murdock managed to keep a growl in his voice and still be able to make the words plain was a bit of a puzzle - though Hannibal and the rest of his team seemed to take the variety of voices and tones Murdock was able to make in stride.

"Full gorge and a deep sleep to you, Rann. I will remember thee in my next kill, and put aside the head for thee alone, O best of kites!"*

When the story concluded, Chet let out a low whistle.

"Wow. You guys really **were** that bored, weren't you?"

Roy and Murdock shrugged in near unison, then chuckled when they noticed they were mirroring one another. Roy answered Chet as he turned his gaze to the fire.

"We were on enforced bed rest - as in not even allowed up to go to the latrine. What else were we supposed to do? It's not like we were deliberately trying to memorize the stories, but it was sort of like if you hear the same song over and over. The lyrics are bound to stick in your head eventually."

Johnny piped up.

"What about nurses? They didn't distract you?"

There was another moment of synchronized movement as the pair of friends shuddered.

"All male nurses."

"And they made ol' B.A. look like the Belle of the Ball."

Even B.A. winced at that description. Murdock changed the subject by producing bags of marshmallows and then he turned his storytelling talents towards the younger members of Marco's family as he launched into a story in fluent Spanish. Johnny just stared for a moment, then looked over to his partner.

"He speaks Spanish?"

"That he does and others as well, but I'm not sure how many languages he speaks. Murdock's never been quite like the rest of us."

Snorting at that, B.A. looked over, giving Roy a wink.

"One of that Fool is plenty, Doc."

The time flew and their time together was ending faster than anyone wanted it to. On the last day, Murdock pulled Johnny off to the side briefly.

"Don't forget what I told you, okay? I'm trusting you to take care of Roy for me."

"I will, but don't be a stranger. You know Roy doesn't want to lose touch with you again."

"I don't want to lose touch with him either, Muchacho, but as you've seen first hand, not everybody we deal with is a peaceful sort. I feel bad enough that those other losers targeted him to get to us."

"Hey, that's not your fault. Me and the guys? We all know who's on the right side. Sheriff Webb and Vince aren't popular with those types of guys either, but that doesn't mean we're going to stop seeing them either."

The quiet fell between them for a moment before Johnny remembered a question he wanted to ask.

"I meant to ask. You said Roy would call you Rann sometimes. And apparently, I've been stuck with Bagheera."

"It's that gloss black hair of yours. Fits."

Johnny laughed at that.

"Yeah, maybe. But tell me, you ever saddle Roy with a nickname other than Doc?"

"Yep. I called him Father Wolf since he had a son waiting for him at home."

Both of their eyes moved over to where Roy was kneeling, showing something to his two children. Kim was hanging onto Roy's back and peering intently over his shoulder while Chris was kneeling next to him.

"Father Wolf does seem appropriate, doesn't it?"

"Yep. Heck, I thought so before I even got to see him with his kids. He's sort of a naturally paternal kinda guy. You could tell by the way he took care of the younger kids over there. The ones barely out of high school that should have been home mowing lawns for money to take a girl out to the movies."

"Murdock!"

The pilot's head jerked around to see Hannibal signaling him. It was time to go. Without warning, Johnny found himself wrapped up in another hug before Murdock bounded over to do the same to Roy.

Johnny made his own way over to Roy as the team finished loading into their van and left. Roy waved until they were out of sight, then turned a slightly mischievous look onto his partner.

"Murdock took Chet off yesterday for howling lessons, Junior. Thought I should warn you."

"Figures. That's about my luck. Whole thing was quite a ride, wasn't it, Roy?"

"Guess it all ended for the best. I'd hate to think how many calls we'd have gotten on kids no older than Chris if those guys had kept to their plans of selling in the elementary schools."

"Me too."

Roy's eyes went back to road and Johnny gave him a slight nudge.

"We'll see them again. If nothing else, maybe we can arrange a fishing trip again. So, Father Wolf?"

"Oh, he told you about that, did he?'

"Yep. Hey, why Bagheera for me?"

"You're too skinny to be Baloo. Come on, Junior. Let's finish packing up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Marked excerpts are from the Kipling short story 'Kaa's Hunting'


End file.
